The Liberty Panthers have a new athletic director and head football coach who signed his contract in March and then hit the ground running.

Shane Deel comes to Liberty from Bryan High School where he worked as defensive coordinator under former coach and mentor, Bob Bellard, son of the legendary Emory Bellard. Deel replaces Jeff Stewart, who recently was hired at Dayton, and who resigned after his contract was not renewed.

Deel was Bellard’s defensive coordinator at San Angelo Center for his ninth year as a coach. Deel has been a defensive coordinator for five years.

The new Panther coach did not mince words to give credit where credit was due. He stated that Coach Stewart had left the program in great shape and he believes the Liberty kids are fired up and ready to go.

The coach believes that the values instilled in him for the past eight years will aid him in setting the same principles he lives and coaches by.

Deel states he will coach hard, pat them on the back when they do good and knows they will be hurting together.

Deel brought with him, Robbie Fontenot, who has been with Deel the last seven out of eight years and coaches backs and quarterbacks. Eddie Dunaway shares Deel’s philosophy about kids and the coach brought him in to take care of the offensive line.